There has consistently been a need for a method of storing ammunition over an extended period. Ammunition sold to the public is normally sold in unsealed containers made from cardboard, plastic or metal. Ammunition sold to the military is usually subject to more stringent requirements, but these containers are not adequately hermetically sealed for an extended period. An adequate long-term sealing method requires the evacuating of the air and moisture in the container and replacing it with an inert gas before sealing of the container. If the casings of the ammunition were to come in contact with dissimilar metals, electrolysis will accrue damaging the shell casings so the ammunition must be additionally fully cushioned. The powder used in ammunition has the ability to degrade after an extended period of inadequate storage affecting its usefulness. Often a desiccating material is put in the containers to minimize the moisture but this does not adequately protect the ammunition for extended periods. Cosmoline (grease), for many years, has been used to preserve and protect numerous military related items for extended periods, but cannot be used effectively for ammunition because it would have to be cleaned before being used.
Numerous innovations for a hermetically sealed ammunition container have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present design as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to this application at hand; as well as a description outlining the difference between the features of the hermetically sealed ammunition container and the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,991 of Robert M. Lyons describes a portable container for storing rounds of ammunition and which includes a housing having a plurality of separately partitioned resilient round supporting pads which function to safely, quietly and cooperatively retain the ammunition within the container and which progressively and partially eject the ammunition as the lid of the container is opened.
This patent describes a portable container for storing rounds of ammunition on a temporary basis. It has not been designed for an inexpensive, hermetically sealed, sales container for long term storage of ammunition.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,694 of Vishwa Khanna et al. tells of a container that is a spirally-wound, laminated, and cylindrically shaped is capable of protecting a mortar or other round from a large number of environmental conditions. The laminate material includes a layer of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) heat-bonded to a Kraft paper, and is both durable, strong, and moisture-resistant. During the container manufacturing process, multiple layers of the laminate material, augmented by one or more layers of aluminum foil, are wound in a spiral fashion over an interior cylinder of ammunition container board, using conventional tooling and machinery. Layers of the cylinder are bonded to their contiguous neighbors by adhesive. The ends of the containers are sealed with crimped metal end caps, affecting a durable and moisture-resistance seal and giving the cylinder added crush-resistance. The construction of the container requires no high temperature operations, produces no noxious fumes, and does not expose workers to hazardous or toxic materials. In addition, there is less waste as compared to the current technology.
This patent tells of a of a container that is a spirally-wound, laminated, and cylindrically shaped is capable of protecting a single mortar shell or other round from a large number of environmental conditions. This invention has been designed for military use only and could not be used as an economical sealed container for multiple rounds of small caliber ammunition sold to the public.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,981 of Jeam-Franqois Noel Du Payrat et al. relates to a container for ammunition of the type comprising a case inside which an inner casing receiving the ammunition is able to slide between two axial positions, one in which it blocks the ammunition and the other in which it unblocks the ammunition, the inner casing incorporating a front sleeve having flexible fingers, such sleeve cooperating in its blocking position with a fixed limit stop integral with the case and ensuring the retention of the fingers on a zone of the projectile to limit its translation, such container wherein it incorporates means ensuring the radial spacing of the flexible fingers at a distance from the projectile in the unblocking position of the inner casing.
This patent relates to a container for single round of ammunition used for the military. It again could not be used as an economical sealed container for multiple rounds of small caliber ammunition sold to the public.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,102 of Yuen H. Lain et al. describes a container for an ammunition cartridge having a conical forward portion includes a generally cylindrical cap having a closed end and an open end; a generally cylindrical main body having a closed end, an open end and a wall, a thickness of the wall at the open end decreasing from a larger thickness to a smaller thickness to form a taper on an exterior surface of the wall; a latch assembly disposed in part on the cap and in part on the main body to lock the cap and the main body in position; a first gasket disposed in the cap; a second gasket disposed around the taper of the main body; a cartridge support disposed inside the main body; a pair of bosses disposed on the main body and axially separated; and a strap connecting the bosses and comprising a middle portion and two end portions, whereby when a load is applied to the middle portion the end portions are forced against the bosses.
This patent describes a container for a single ammunition cartridge and could not be used as an economical sealed container for multiple rounds of small caliber ammunition sold to the public.
None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the hermetically sealed ammunition storage container and do not mention the use of an inert gas as a means of providing long-term storage. The present method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed ammunition container achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing readily available materials.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the hermetically sealed ammunition container in detail it is to be understood that the design is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement, of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The hermetically sealed ammunition container is capable of having other embodiments and of being manufactured in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other ammunition containers for carrying out the several purposes of the present design. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application.